Steering apparatus for torpedoes.



No. 7l6,5l7. Patented Dec. 23, I902, J. BURRESEN.

STEERING APPARATUS FOR TDRPEDOES.

{Application flied Sept. 2, 2902.

4 Sheets-Shut I.

(No Modal.)

N6. 7|6,5|7. Patented Dec. 23,1902.

J. BORRESEN. STEERING APPARATUS FOR TORPEDOES (Application 11168 Sept.2, 1902.

4 Shuts-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

mmm: JWWZ Patented Dec. 23, 1902.. J. BORRESEH. STEERING APPARATUS FORTOBPEDOES.

(Application filed Sept. 2, i902.) 4 Sheefi-Sheat 3.

(No Model.)

' Patented Dec. 23, I902. J. anm-zsan.

STEERING APPARATUS FOR TORPEDOES.

v (Applicatioh filed Sept. 2. 1902.

. 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

-nrri:n Sra'rns JACOB BORRESEN, OF C PATENT @rrrca,

HRI STIAN'IA, NORWAY.-

STEERING APPARATU$ FOR TCRPE-DOESQ SPECIFICATION zorming' part ofLetters Patent No. 716,517, dated December 23, 1902. Application filedSeptember 2, 1902' Serial lilo. 121,868. (No model.)

To, aZZ whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, JAooB Boasnsnn, a sub- -ject of the King of Norwayand Sweden, re-

siding at Christiania, Norway, have invented certain new anduseful'lmprovementsin Steering Apparatus for Torpedoes; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear,

'and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the charactersof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. vY

My invention relates to steering apparatus for torpedoes, and moreespecially to that kind of steering apparatus in which a gyroscope ismade use of, acting through a suitable motor on the vertical rudder eachtime the torpedo deviates from its course. In certain cases so-calledadjustable gyroscopes are made use of, whereby it is made possible toeject the torpedo at an angle with the ob- Ject aimed at; and myinvention consists in 25 means whereby such gyroscopes are made not I toact for a certain time after the ejecting of the torpedo, for purposeswhich I will now explain with reference to the annexed drawings, Figures1 and 2, which show diagrams of torpedoes on their way after theejection from a ship against another one.

When ships are provided with fixed ejecting-tubes and use is made ofadjustable gyroscopes which allow the firing of the torpedo at an anglewith the object aimed at, the torpedo will first move in a curve,steered by the rudder which is before the ejection set starboard orport,according to the circumstances. .It is evident that by such angularfiring the hitting ofIhe object fired at will depend on a correctjudgmeutof the distance between the two ships, because the true line aI) (see Fig. 1) will always be at an apgle with the, final course ofthe'torpcdo p b. This is, in fact, a very great drawback; and the objectof my invention is to provide means whereby the torpedo is made tocontinue its circular course till it has reached the line a b, or approximately sothat is to say, in the neighborhood of the point q.My-invention in'this respect consists, broadly, in combining with thegyroscope and the vertical rudder of a.

operation on the rudder to steer the torpedo ina straight course from qto b. In this manner the distance between the fighting-ships is renderedunimportantfor the aiming and need not be taken in consideration whenadjusting the gyroscope. The said time apparatus may be so constructedthat it can be timed for difierent lengths'ot' arcs a q-that is to say,for difierent angles between the line a b and the actualejectingdirection. A. special application may, however, be made of myinvention for ships having fixed torpedoejecting tubes mounted forfiring torpedoes in certain directions relatively to the course of theship. An example is illustrated in Fig. 2, in which is shown a shiphaving a torpedotube directed at right angles to the longitudinal axisof the ship. With such torpedotube it is in case of a battle-shipdesirable to be able to fire to pedoes directly sidewise and directlyastern (for destroying a pursuing ship) or even directly ahead, and forthis purpose I construct the steering apparatus so that it may either beadjusted for the straight firing or for a course of the torpedo, as indicated by the lines a 1' b or a f c. In this instance I make use of atime apparatus with fixed time, while in the first-named example Imakealse of a time apparatus with adjustable time.

As is well known, the gyroscope, in the usual arrangementyacts onthevalve governing the air inlet and outlet openings of thesteering-cylinder through an arm or lever con ectod with the said valve(or its red) and wit 1 the vertical ringof the gyroscope, said ringhaving. a pin thatprojects into a slot in the said lever. The said timeapparatus may, according to my invention, be combined directly orindirectly. with the said lever in such way "that the lever is kept outof engagement with the said pin until the distance for which theapparatus is timed has been passed by tile torpedo, whereupon the leveris allowed to come into engagement with the pin. In this manner ofcarrying out myjnvention the gyroscope will work freely with-.

out effecting any change in the position of the said governing-valve aslong as the torpedo is in its circular path. I prefer, however, not toapply the time apparatus in this manner, but, instead thereof, leave thegyroscope in its ordinary connection with the airvalve undisturbed, sothat the air-valve will move with the gyroscope-ring also in the saidfirst period of the movement of the torpedo, and I apply on some pointofthe. rigid connection between the vertical rudder of the torpedo and.the piston of the steering-cylinder, or on one of these partsthemselves, a stop which keeps the rudder in its initial po sitiou untilthe time apparatus releases said stop, when the rudder will be under theinfluence of the gyroscope.

in the annexed drawings I have shown three forms of carrying out myinvention.

Figs. 1 and 2 are diagrammatic illustrations of the operation of thedevice. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one form in which a time ordistance apparatus with. fixed time is made use of and in which the stopis made to act on the rod extending from the steering-cylinder to therudder. Fig. 4 is a side view of another form of apparatus in which thetime apparatus is adjustable for different lengths of arcs. In this formof'apparatus I have shown the stop applied directly to the rudder. Figs.5 and 6 are detail views. Fig. 7 is a third form of apparatus; and 8, 9,and 10 details.

In the following description reference is had to Fig. 3. 1 indicates theshell of the torpedo, and 2 a partition-wall in the same. 3 indicatesthe slide-valve of the steering-cylinder. Its rod l is provided with ascrewthreaded part 5, which carries the nut 6. The end 7 of theslide-rod l is square. The said not 6 has two pins 8, which connect theout with the forked end of the gyroscope-lever9, the pivot of which isindicated at 10. 11 indicates the ring of the gyroscope, and 12 a pin onthe ring, projecting into the bi furcatiou 13 of the lever 9. is aninternally-screw-threadedcylinder mounted inside the shell of thetorpedo. In this cylinder a screw-threaded block 21 is placed, havinglceyholes 22 on its upper face, enabling the screwing up and down of theblock by means of a suitable key. Through a square hole in the bottom ofthe cylinder 20 passes a square rod 23, the upper end 24; of which isround and is connected. with the screw-block, so that the latter mayturn on this round end,as shown. The lower end of the rod 23 is by meansof a link 25 connected with a crank 26, the hub of which has a squarehole'which fits on the square end 7 of the valve-rod 4. The operation ofthis part of the mechanism is as follows: When the block 22 is screwedclown-,thc valve-rod 4 will be turned, and thereby as the nut h is heldstationary by the lever 9 the rod will, on account of the sorewthreadedpart 5workin the nut, be displaced longitudinally.

dream When the c'auk 26 is in the middle position (indicated by the line'm,) the steering-valve 3 will be adjusted for midship-rudder in theposition indicated by the line b, the valve will be adjusted forport-rudder, and in the drawn position it will be ad ustet-l forstarboard-rudder at the ejection of the torpedo. The square end 7 of theslide-rod moves freely in the boss-hole of-the crank v26, so that whenthe gyroscope works the lever 9 may without hindrance of the crank 2tmove the slide 3 longitudinally.

30 is a rack which can slide freely in the guide-piece 31,mounted on thepartition-wall The rack is by a link. 29 connected with the pin ofthecrank 26. 32 isatoothed hollow cylinder, having an extension 33, whichhas bearing in a guide-piece 34;. The toothed-cylinder32 is carried by ascrevwthreaded rod 35, screwed into the'screw-threaded bore 36 of thecylinder. torpedo, establishing in the usual way connection between therudder and the steering cylinder governed by the slide-valve 3. Thesteering-rod carries a collar 49, and behind the steeringn'od an arm 48is pivoted at 47. This arm'is held down on the rod, either in front orin back of the collar or directly down upon it, by its own weightassisted by the spring 46, and extends immediately above the end 37 ofthe cylinder 32. it will be uuderstood that the arm, when in position infront or back of the collar, will serve as a stop for the steering-rod,the latter being in this manner held port or starboard by the arm, sothat it cannot be moved by the steering-cylinder. This part of themechanism works as follows? When the block 22 is screwed down so thatthe crank 26 obtains the position m, the rack 30 will be ptshed to theleft,thereby turning the toothed cylinder so that it will screwitself upon the rod 35. If the block 22 is screwed down so that the crank 26obtains the position b, it will be seen that the rack will be pulledback to the illustrated position, thereby lowering also the cylinder 32to the position shown in the drawings. From this it will be understoodthat when the block 22 is set for midship-rudder the top of theextension 33 of the cylinder will in this manner be adjusted to a.higher position than when the block is set for starboard or port rudder,and it will thereby lift the arm 48 so much that the collar 49 can passfreely underneath the bent part of the arm. in other words, in thisposition the steering-rod will be free to move either way from themoment of starting.

repr sents a shaft of the machinery of the torpedo, being so connectedwith the mo tor-shaft or rotation in the moment the torpedo is ejected.The shaft carries a cam-whe 41, against whichn rod 42 is hold, as shown.The rod has bearing 4.3 in the partition-wall and is, g by means of abell -crank lgpivoted at 45,001:- i nected to the lower end of theaforesaid rod 50 is the steermg-rod of the.

a clockwork that it is set at $10 v with screw-threads.

35. The operation of these parts is as follows: When the torpedo isejected, the shaft 40 will commence moving and the cam-wheel 41 willpush the rod l2, and thereby the rod 35, with the cylinder 32, and itsextension will be lifted, and the latter will, after a certain fixedtime, hit the arm 48 and lift it, so that the steering-rod will be freeto move. This will be the same whether the arm lies as shown or on theother side of the collar.

The manner of using the apparatus will be clear from the above withoutfurther explanation, and I shall only add that the drawings are only tobe considered as diagrams illustrating the working of the device. Thedetails may in practice be constructed in any suitable Way.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 I have illustrated another form of my apparatus,the same being provided with an adjustable time device. 1 indicates theshell of the torpedo. is one of the fins, and 61 one of the verticalrudders, having one ofits bearings in the'shell at 62 and the otherat 63near the edge of the fin. 64 is the tube which serves as a shaft for oneof the propellers. This tube is provided at 65 Above this point on afixed axle 66 a gear-wheel'67 is loosely mounted, engaging with itsteeth the threads of the screw 65. wheel 68 is also loosely mounted onthe axle 66. By means of a screw or pin 69 in the wheel 67 entering ahcle 70 in the wheel 68 the two wheels may be coupled together in asimple manner. The wheel 68 is provided with a spiral groove-71 on itsinner side, and entering this spiral groove is a pin or projection 72,carried by a radially-movable push- "rod 73, mounted in a radial slot 74in the fin 61. Near the edge of the fin 'anarm 8,0 is mounted. It isshown as composed of two branches, one on each side of the fin andunited at the fulcrum by the pin 81, at the middle by a stay 82, andatthe end, while on the under side it carries a triangular lug 83, whichserves as a stop for the rudder. The arm is held downby a two-armedspring 84, acting against ribs' on the fin. In the position shown thesaid lug holds the rudder starboard. When' the screw 65 rotates, itdrives the wheel 67, and this, being coupled with the wheel Us, causesthis to rotate, and the spiral groove on the latter will force thepush-rod 73 outwardly, so that its end will hit the arm 80 and lift it,whereby the rudder will be released, so it'can move freely. By looseningthe screw 69 the wheel 68 maybe turned, whereby the starting position ofthe push-rod 73 is adjusted, and thereby the apparatus timed. An indexmay, as shown, be provided on the rod, whereby the exact adiutstment fordifferent angles of ejection may be provided for.

It need not be explained that an adjustable time device, constructedupon the lines here described or of other suitable construction,

may also be combined with the apparatus Close to this gear-wheel anotherfirst described. I may also instead of applythe gyroscope-valve and thesteering-cylinder. How this maybe done I have illustrated in Figs. 7, 8,9, 10. der, ahd b b and c c the air-conduits leading from thegyroscope-valve to either side of the piston. d is a valve which ishollow and provided at ewitha row of holes open'ingihto an annularchamber connected by a tube f with the compressed-air reservoir of thetorpedo. IAt two places the body'of the valve is perforated-namely, at gand at h-which perforations are. placed at an angle with each other andso as to, in different positions of the valve, correspond with theconduits b 0,

respectively; Besides these perforations the valve-body is provided withtwo axial grooves Zm,which are disposed respectively above and belowtheperforations h and g, extending to the outside of the valve-housing.When the valve has the position shown, the-perforation 71 correspondswith the air-conduit o and the groove 7- with the air-conduit b, as

clearly seen from the sections, Figs. 9 and 10, which are taken,respectively, on the lines 9 9 and 10-10, Fig. 7. In this position airis led from f through the valve, the perforation h, and the conduit 0'into thecylinder to the left-hand side of the piston, which will there--fore be held in the position shown, the air on right-hand side havingexit through the conduit band the groove 1. I When the valve is turnedabout sixty degrees, the connections will be so as to keep the cylinderin its left-hand-position. Thevalveisfurthermore provided withcross-channels n 0, which are dis the steering-cylinplaced in the sameplane, the one above the other and at an angle of about sixty degreeswith the perforation g and groove 'm. When the valve is turned so-as tobring these channels to correspond with the air-conduits b b and c 0,there will be no connection between the air-pipefand the cylinder, andthe air let into the conduits band 0 by the gyroscopevalve will,unhindered by the valve d, pass to the cylinder a, which will then actfreely under lBhB influence of the gyroscope-valve. The stop-valve d isacted upon by a springp, fastenedto the valve andtto the valve-hoes ing,as shown, and it tends to turn the valve in the direction indicated byan arrow in Fig. 8. On top of the valve is mounted an arm r,,'pivoted ats, so it can swing a little in a vertical plane, a spring t holding itdown. On the underside this arm carries a tooth M, which by the actionof the said spring is held in engagement with notches v 'v' v" in an arcto, mounted in suitable manner concentric with the valve. The arm '1'isprovided with a laterally-projecting arc-shaped extension 7". 02indicates a lifting member, of a similar nature and arrangement as thepiece 33 in Fig. 1 or the piece 73 in Fig. 2. The working of thisapparatus is as follows:

If the arm '0' is set as shown in Fig. 8 at the start of the torped s,the connection of the airconduitswill he as above described and thepiston will be held in the right-hand end of the cylinder till thelifter 03 touches the under side of the arm r and lifts the tooth100L113 of engagement with the notch c, this mo ment being, shown inFig. 7.) The spring 19 will then turn the valve one hundred and twentydegrees and bring the channels 71 and o to correspond with theair-conduits b h' and l t ,hncrcai't-er the wnoie mechanism will heunder the action of the gyroscope. The areshaped extension '1" of thearm r serves as a rest for the arm on the piece m while swinging around,preventing the tooth it from engaging the notch 71. When the-arm at thestart is placed so that its tooth engages the notch '0', the piece a;will hit the arm atits extension and lift it, as in the former instance.

I claim i 1. In atorpedo, steering mechanism, means whereby suchmechanism is held temporarily in a given position, means forautomatically changing the position of the steering mechanism to alterthe course of the torpedo, and means for preventing such alteration ofcourse for a predetermined time after the ejection of the torpedo.

2. In a torpedo, steering mechanism, means whereby such mechanism may heheld in a certain position fora predetermined space of time after theeiection of the torpedo and means for automatically changing theposition of thesteering mechanism after the expiration of such time.

In a torpedo, a rudder, means whereby the rudder may he held in suclraposition as to direct the torpedo in a curved path for a predeterminedspace of time after its ejection, and means for automatically changingthe position of the rudder after the expiration of such time in suchmanner as to alter the course of the torpedo from a curved to a straightpath.

4. In a torpedo, steering mechanisnnmeans whereby such steeringmechanism may be temporarily held in a position calculated to cause thetorpedo to travel in a curved path for a predetermined time after itsejection, means for automatically shifting the position of such steeringmechanism and directing the torpedo in a straight line directly awayfrom the starting-point, and means for holding such shifting mechanismout of operation until the expiration of the predetermined time.

5. In a torpedo, the combination with the gyroscope, the steeringmechanism and means for transmitting the movements of the gyroscope tothe steering mechanism, of means whereby such transmission of movementis prevented. for a certain predetermined time after the ejection of thetorpedo.

6. In a steering mechanism for torpedoes, the combination with a rudder,of agyroscope,

means for holding the rudder in a desired po sition for a predeterminedtime after the ejection of the torpedo, and means for automatic allyreleasing the rudder and bringing it under the influence of thegyroscope at the expiration of such predetermined time.

7. In a steering apparatus for torpedoes, the combination with thegyroscope, the steering valve, the steering-cylinder and its piston. thesteering-rod, and the vertical rudder, or" means for holding the latterin a certain po* much a predetermined time alter the ejection of thetorpedo, and means for automatically releasing it and bringing it underthe in fluence of the gyroscope when the said predctermined time haselapsed.

8. In a steering apparatus for torpedoes, the combination with thegyroscope, the steering-- valve, the steering-cylinder and its piston,the steering-rod, and the vertical rudder, of a stop for holding therudder arrested in a certain position, and a time apparatus con prisin arotary part of the mechanism of the torpedo and a pusher which iscapable of releasing the said stop when being moved by the said rotarypart.

9. In asteeringapparatus for torpedoes, the combination with thevertical rudder, the steering-rod, and means governed by a gyroscope formoving the latter, of a stop for holding the rudder port or starboardindependent of the action of the gyroscope, and an adjustable timeapparatus connected'with he lorpedo mechanism and comprising a movablepart capable of displacing the said stop flflli thereby releasing thesteering mechanism.

10. In a torpedo, in combination, gyroscope,a gyroscope slide-valve,ascrew-threaded part on the rod of said slide-valve, a nutthreaded onsaid part, a two-armed lever pivotally connected with said nut and inengagementwith the pin of the gyroscope-ring, a

square extension of the said valve-rod, a cranlr longitudinally movableon said'sqnare part, means accessible from the outside of the tor pedofor adjusting the said crank in different positions correspond'ng toport, midship and starboard position of the rudder, a time apparatus, astop-levercooperating with a stopon the steering-rod of the torpedo, apusher connected with the time apparatus and adapted to he moved intoengagement with and push the stop-lever out of engagement with saidstop, a toothed'cylinder forming part of the said pusher and screwed ona threaded portion of the same, a rack in engagement with the teeth ofthe said cylinder, and a link connecting the rack with the aforesaidadjustable crank.

in witness whereof. I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twoWitnesses.

JACOB BORRESEN.

Witnesses:

J OB VAALER, 0. MtiLLnn.

